Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana helped Cameroon clinch qualification for the African Cup of Nations in early 2024.
Manchester United are likely to lose goalkeeper Andre Onana for next year’s AFCON after Cameroon qualified for the tournament.
Cameroon needed a win at home to Burundi to be guaranteed qualification, and secured it with a 3-0 victory.
They finished top of a three-team group, with Namibia qualifying for the tournament in second place. But it wasn’t quite as simple as the scoreline made it look.
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Andre Onana helps Cameroon survive scare
At half-time Cameroon were actually heading for elimination, sitting bottom of their group on goal difference, with the score tied at 0-0.
Burundi had seen more of the chances in the first 45 minutes, with Onana forced into five saves to keep the game scoreless.
Brentford’s Bryan Mbuemo then scored early in the second half, before Rennes defender Christopher Wooh doubled their lead, and then Vincent Aboubakar added a third in injury time.
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3-0 was a hefty win in the end, but the game really came down to who scored first. Onana ensured it wasn’t Burundi, and ensured they saw out a game which could have gone either way at half-time.
Onana helped Cameroon see the game out and keep a clean sheet, and he will be expected to play for his country at the AFCON tournament when it kicks off in January.
Games Andre Onana would miss
The dates run between January 13 2024 and February 11.
This could see Andre Onana miss Premier League games against Tottenham (h), Wolves (a), West Ham (h), Aston Villa (a), plus FA Cup third round and possibly fourth round matches.
Manchester United recently signed Turkey international Altay Bayindir, while veteran Tom Heaton will also compete.